landfill

American  

[land-fil] / ˈlændˌfɪl /

noun

1. a low area of land that is built up from deposits of solid refuse in layers covered by soil.

2. the solid refuse itself.

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verb (used without object)

1. to create more usable land by this means.

verb (used with object)

1. to make (an area of land) by means of a landfill.

2. to use in a landfill.

   to landfill millions of tons of garbage each year.

landfill British  

/ ˈlændˌfɪl /

noun

1. 1. disposal of waste material by burying it under layers of earth

   2. ( as modifier )

      landfill sites

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landfill Scientific  

/ lănd′fĭl′ /

1. A disposal site where solid waste, such as paper, glass, and metal, is buried between layers of dirt and other materials in such a way as to reduce contamination of the surrounding land. Modern landfills are often lined with layers of absorbent material and sheets of plastic to keep pollutants from leaking into the soil and water.

2. Also called sanitary landfill

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Etymology

Origin of landfill

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; land + fill

Explanation

A landfill is a pit that is covered with dirt after being filled with waste of some kind. Some landfills are filled in with rocks for the specific purpose of raising the earth and building something on it. Garbage dumps are often called landfills, even when they're not literal pits that are filled and covered, and while "hole full of trash" might be your first thought when you hear the word, landfills are often simply a way of solidifying the ground for building. Many port cities, including Boston and Portland, Maine, have entire neighborhoods, once just areas covered in water, that were built on landfills.

Example Sentences

In 1982, Agnes Denes planted 2 acres of wheat seed into a thin layer of topsoil she’d spread over lower Manhattan’s Battery Park landfill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

Indonesian rescuers have called off the search for victims of a landslide at the country's largest open landfill after pulling seven bodies out from under debris, an official said Tuesday.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

The food for the larder is donated by the charity FareShare, which redistributes surplus food and diverts it away from landfill.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

When they aren’t thieving, bald eagles also scavenge from roadkill or help themselves to free food found in human garbage or at the town landfill.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

Anger flashed through me as I imagined a bunch of unopened letters from Marcus sitting in a landfill somewhere, covered in trash.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

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